Aloha oe, Kumu Nina Maxwell

[Miulang]

Sadly, another very influential kumu hula has passed away. Auntie Nina Maxwell (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060615/OBITS01/606150348/1187/NEWS) was the wife of Kahu Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, Sr. noted kanaka maoli activist and historian. It is a double tragedy for the Maxwell family as they had just lost their older daughter to toxic shock a year ago.

Miulang

[Lei Liko]

This breaks my heart. :(

I just saw Adrian the other day. I know that he was going through a tough time last month when Auntie Debbie's one year anniversary came about, and I can only imagine what he's going through right now.

My sympathy and condolences to the Maxwell family and to all those who knew her.

[lurkah]

To see those two together doing their kolohe storytelling routine was so very precious as it showed just how in sync and in love they were with each other. Uncle Charlie would start out telling whatever story they were telling and then halfway through his sentence he would smile and turn to Aunty Nina who then finished his sentence without skipping a beat. Back and forth they went on like this until the entire story was told.

Aloha 'oe, Aunty Nina, and sending prayers of condolence and comfort to Uncle Charlie.

[Lei Liko]

The following was written by her grandson, Adrian Kamali`i -- who shared this in a MySpace bulletin today. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me sharing this with you all:

Auhea ka pilali o ke kumu kukui?
Auhea oe e kuu hulu alii?
O Nina Boyd Maxwell kou inoa hanohano.
Aue no kau kumakena e!
Ua hala akula, ua hala oia.
He kanikau aloha ia oe e kuu Tutu!
He hiwa lani a Kalanikini.
Aue, Aue, Aue n!
He kama hanai o ka aina o na wai eha.
Hoolokuloku ka ua, ka waimaka.
Luu ka ua koko i kou aina hanau!
Aue e kuu wahi hoomalu, kuu malu halau loa!
O oe ka mea hookahua,
A ua lilo oe i ke kahua o makou.
Aue e kuu Tutu aloha, aue!
Ua lawe kuu Tutu ia Niolopua.
O Punalani e liuliu ka moena
I ka moe loa i ka puaaneane.
E moe, e moe, e moe e!
Kaumaha loa i kuu puuwai.
E hao nui ana au ia oe e Tutu.
E hele oe i ke ala hoi ole mai!
E hui pu oe me kou mau hulu alii i ke kau ana o ka La!

Nau kama lani, ka moopuna mua.


Where is the pilali of the Kukui tree?
Where are you my royal feathers?
Nina Boyd Maxwell is your stately name.
There is grief for my lament!
Gone, she is gone.
This is my lament for you, my Tutu!
Favored child of Kalanikini
Oh the grief, sadness, absolute grief!
A child reared in the lands of the four waters.
The rains pour.
The heavy rains drench the land of your birth.
Oh no, my place of shelter, my branches for shade!
You have built our foundation,
And now you have become the shoulders on which we stand.
Oh no my beloved Tutu, woe betides us!
Niolopua has taken my Tutu.
Punalani is there to prepare a place for you
To rest til time shall no more.
Lie down, sleep, and indeed rest!
My heart is heavy.
I will miss you, Tutu.
You must go now on the path of no return!
Join your ancestors in the setting of the sun!

Your kama lani, the moopuna mua.

[kamalani]

Aloha nui kakou,

Thank you all for such a fond remembrance of my Tutu. She was a great lady. Whom ever recounted the love between my Tutu and Papa was right. They really made a great pair, in fact we were about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month.

We were just learning how to live without my Mom, and how to live with her memory, now we have to do it all over again.

We may not know you by face, but we know you by heart and we thank you for your aloha to our family.

Nui ka'u mahalo palena 'ole.

Adrian


--PS Mahalo for sharing the Kanikau!

[tutusue]

[...]We were just learning how to live without my Mom, and how to live with her memory, now we have to do it all over again.[...]
Dearest Adrian,
Time.
It's all about time.
Time and whatever higher power you believe in are on your side.
Eventually the pain that such a loss inflicts will heal and give way to all of those wonderful memories. The memories will live on forever for they cannot be taken from you.

My condolences to you and your family...Tutusue

[1stwahine]

My sincere Sympathy to Kumu Nina Maxwell Ohana!

Rest in Peace, Kumu Nina Maxwell!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f358/1stwahine/godblessyou.gif

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f358/1stwahine/huladancer00.gif
Lynn Vasquez & Ohana

[Miulang]

Adrian, has the ohana been able to schedule Nainoa to take your Mom's ashes and your Tutu's picture to Kaho'olawe yet? That will truly be a day of homecoming!

Miulang

[LikaNui]

Thank you all for such a fond remembrance of my Tutu. And thank you for the wonderful item at the bottom of this link (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/OPINION02/606210321/1104) to today's Advertiser.

[oggboy]

My deepest ALOHA to the Maxwell Ohana,

Maui has lost a wonderful kumu who made us all proud!!!!!

Surely to be missed by all she came into contact with......


ALOHA AUNTIE NINA****

[kamalani]

And thank you for the wonderful item at the bottom of this link (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/OPINION02/606210321/1104) to today's Advertiser.


Mahalo LikaNui, it is an honor to pay tribute to a Kupuna or a leader who has left this earthly life and has begun their eternal journey, or in my Tutu's case her eternal dance, but it is equally an honor to pay tribute to a tradition that was common practice at the height of Hawaiian language newspapers.

I just want to thank you all again for your kind words, condolences and prayers. It's still numbing not to see Tutu in the house or hear her voice, but we now live in her memory and in the fact that she had given her life to hula and its continual life.

Below is a memorial written for the Maui News, I share it with you all as you all have been so kind to share your aloha.

Me ka mahalo ha'aha'a, Adrian


Charlotte Ann Nina Boyd Maxwell

Aunty Nina as she was affectionately known, was born on February 10, 1938 in Pu‘unene, Maui. The only child born to Edward Kalanikini Boyd and Mary Abrew, Aunty Nina was raised in Waiehu and schooled at St. Anthony’s School where she graduated as Valedictorian.

As one of Aunty Emma Farden Sharpe’s lead hula dancers, Aunty Nina began to take hula seriously even though her parents stressed piano lessons. Her passion and love soon became hula, its art and history.

After dancing in many venues and under the careful tutelage of Aunty Emma, the young Nina soon found her other passion of teaching hula to others. In 1966 Aunty Nina began her illustrious path to becoming a well established Kumu Hula. In her forty years of teaching hula, Aunty Nina has passed her knowledge and experience to young and old alike. Aunty Nina’s halau, Pukalani Hula Hale, has a well decorated record under her watchful eye and has been established competitors in the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival and the Queen Lili’uokalani Keiki Hula Festival among others. Her daughter Hi’ilei now continues the tradition.

Continuing her passion for teaching, Aunty Nina was one of the first Kupuna to teach in the State of Hawai’i’s Department of Education Kupuna Program at Pukalani Elementary School, where she found her absolute passion in teaching the keiki.

Aunty Nina is survived by her husband Kahu Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, Sr. and on July 28, 2006 would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. She is also survived by son Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, Jr. (Raynette), daughters Kathy Hi’ilei Maxwell-Juan (Rodney) and Sheri Hinano Maxwell (Rowell Kim) and grandchildren, Adrian Kamalaniikekai Kamali’i, Elliot Kaleihuapalakea Kamali’i, Dane Uluwehiokalani Maxwell, GregoryJames Kahikinamaikalani Maxwell Juan, Brittnie Marie Kahealani Gouveia, Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, III, Edward Kalanikini Maxwell Juan and Benjamin Kahalehoe Maxwell.

The Maxwell ‘Ohana would like to extend their deepest aloha and Mahalo to Makawao Fire Department, Emergency Medical Technicians, Maui Police Department, Ballard’s Mortuary and the endless amount of prayers and sympathy received.

Lu’ulu’u Maui i ka ua nui, kaumaha loa i ko makou pu’uwai. E hui pu ana makou I kekahi la.

Maui is burdened by the heavy rains, our hearts are heavy. We will be together one day.